


Coran's Crispy Shrimp Tacos

by CharalampidisGruber



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Beaches, Christmas, Christmas on the beach, Coran setting bitches up, Crushes, Fluff, M/M, Surfing, Surfing AU, Tacos, Wet Shiro, food truck au, kissing under mistletoe, shance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-25
Updated: 2018-12-25
Packaged: 2019-09-26 21:32:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,444
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17149445
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CharalampidisGruber/pseuds/CharalampidisGruber
Summary: Lance has been eyeing the dashing surfer Shiro from afar for quite some time. While he prepares one of Coran's signature dishes, he just might get the chance to steal his heart for Christmas.





	Coran's Crispy Shrimp Tacos

**Author's Note:**

  * For [CBlue](https://archiveofourown.org/users/CBlue/gifts).



> Inspired by CBlue's Food Truck AU! Which you should go check out! Written for the Coran Discord Secret Santa!

Lance McClain had been taking extra shifts back at his old job, partially because he missed his friends, but mostly because he missed the handsome surfing champion, Takashi Shirogane. When Lance had first started working at Coran's food truck, he'd been quite cocky and flirtatious. He knew his way around a kitchen, even one that was crammed into a vehicle. Lance's mother was a spectacular chef and he'd picked up quite a few skills from her. But he quickly found out that he still had a great deal to learn from his coworkers.

 

Hunk had been a resident in the coastal town his entire life. His passion for family and food had made him quite knowledgeable. He'd introduced several new menu items to Coran that Lance had never even heard of and he'd struggled to learn how to prepare them. But Hunk had been patient. They'd joked around and he'd helped Lance expand his cultural horizons. Pidge was usually focused on making sure all of the appliances were in working order and bookkeeping. She'd saved them from having to close up early dozens of times. She could take chewing gum, paperclips, rubber bands and anything else you could possibly imagine and use it as a tool to fix even the most complicated problems. And of course, there was Keith. Lance couldn't forget Keith. He was a bit grumpy but he was very good at his job. So good that it made Lance jealous. He'd never admit that to Keith's face though.

 

He'd come to view them all as part of his family. Coran's gentle smile was always a welcoming sight. It never felt like work. It always felt like he was going to his second home. The sleek ivory and turquoise van looked like a multi-million dollar yacht that had come ashore. It was always nestled by two palm trees, right where the yellow sands came to meet the hot concrete of the sidewalk. People would come trotting up over the dunes with wads of cash crinkled in their hands and grumbling stomachs. Lance loved watching their eyes rove over the menu and the way their faces scrunched up before they made their choices.

 

His favorite customer to watch had been Shiro. He was the ideal specimen of a man. He was tall and broad shouldered. His tight, jet black wetsuit, clung to every curve of his rippling muscles and left nothing to the imagination. His black hair was usually soaked from the surf with little flecks of sand clinging to the strands and his tawny skin. His smile was brighter than the sun. Lance sometimes struggled to keep his cool around Shiro. Sometimes he'd burn his order or over season it but the surfer never complained. He would thank Lance and tell him it was delicious anyway. He was just so damn nice. And to be that good looking on top of that? It just wasn't fair. Lance had never stood a chance.

 

His heart was always racing as he watched Shiro gliding over the waves. It came so naturally to him. Lance would bite down on his knuckles, his eyes locked on every move that Shiro made. Little beads of sweat would breakout on Lance's forehead. And since everyone that worked at Coran's truck was deeply invested in Shiro's surfing career, it never seemed odd to anyone how Lance was at every competition. When the results were announced it was always a heart-stopping moment. Lance would hold his breath. He'd feel heartbreak anytime Shiro didn't place and he'd jump up and down shrieking with delight every time Shiro won.

 

Those had been the happiest times. The easier times.

 

Lance's mom got an idea from Coran's food truck. The McClains had always run a stall at the farmer's market. They sold flowers, fresh peppers, tomatoes and every other vegetable you could imagine. And the cheese their cow's produced was some of the finest in the county. But Lance's mom had wanted to expand their business. After visiting Lance several times at work, she decided they'd start up their own food truck. They'd sell the famous McClain family recipes made from their finest homegrown ingredients. Everyone had been pretty understanding. It was family after all and of course, Lance had to be with them but he still felt like a traitor. He'd worked a few months with his family. The operation went so smoothly. Lance was proud of what his family had done but he missed his friends. He missed joking with them while they slaved over a hot stove. He missed cleaning up with them as the sun dipped below the horizon painting the sky in beautiful shades of pink and yellow. Most of all he missed seeing Shiro.

 

And bless his mother. She'd looked at him with that twinkle in her eye and told him maybe he should go back and work part time for Coran. He wanted to believe she made the offer because she wanted to spy on the competition but Lance knew better than that. It was impossible to hide anything from his mother. She just wanted him to be happy and it meant the world to him. She would never say it to his face that she knew. That was something he loved dearly about her. Veronica would always tease Lance and pressure him to spill the beans but his mother would just let things like this go. When Lance was ready to talk about Shiro she'd be there. Until then she'd quietly support him.

 

It was getting late. The sun had nearly set and the sky had transformed from a brilliant blue to a rich plum shade. Some small stars were starting to twinkle and the gentle evening breeze brought a chill over the beach. There were barely any people out this late in the season. It didn't seem like winter at all this far south. Coran was still in the spirit. He was humming a carol as he strung up the golden lights along the truck's canopy. It was just him and Lance tonight.

 

He'd caught a glimpse of Shiro earlier that day. The beach had been practically empty and Lance imagined the water was icy cold. Despite those conditions, Shiro still seemed hell-bent on getting some practice in. Lance had watched him paddle out on his board. The rolling green ocean waves rose and swelled. They crashed into shore spewing salty foam all over the wet sand. Then the waters would gently receed back into the cold depths. He'd watched the pattern of the waves over and over. Shiro would be bobbing on his board waiting for the perfect one. Then Lance would watch him ride the wave in. He glided through the water like an expert fighter pilot soaring through the clouds. Shiro would come back to shore and jump right back out into the waters. This ritual had gone on for an hour and then the handsome surfer had vanished.

 

Coran pulled out a cheap, plastic bunch of mistletoe and chuckled. Lance raised a brow. He watched Coran hang it up with the most peculiar look on his face. “Just in case someone special shows up,” Coran said with a wink.

 

Lance had a mild panic attack. He chuckled nervously and rubbed the back of his neck. “Who's going to show up now, Coran?”

 

“Maybe the love of my life will be the next customer to come walking up,” Coran said cheerfully.

 

He flashed Lance a cheeky grin.

 

“And who knows maybe they'll have a friend for you too,” Coran teased.

 

Lance tried to fight back the heat that was rushing to his cheeks. He was not going to blush in front of Coran. No way in hell. Was Coran conspiring with his mother to try and hook him up? Dear God, he hoped not. Nothing would be more embarrassing than that.

 

_How'd you meet your boyfriend?_

 

_My mom and my boss hooked us up._

 

No that would not do at all. It seemed like Shiro had vanished already anyway. He usually stopped at the food truck every day so it was a little odd that he hadn't arrived. It was the holidays though. It really wasn't that strange. Shiro had probably rushed home to spend time with his family. Maybe even spend time with someone special. That thought made Lance's stomach churn. He didn't think Shiro had a boyfriend but it wouldn't really surprise him if he did. Lance had been twiddling his thumbs for so long that someone else surely could've swooped in to snatch up that stud.

 

His heart skipped a beat when he saw Shiro making his way down the sidewalk. Lance leaned out the window to get a better look at him. It was the first time he'd seen the man in regular clothes. He was wearing a lightweight black hoodie and jeans. With every other step, Shiro was kicking around the stray sand that littered the sidewalk. Lance felt a lump forming in his throat. Coran rested his hand on Lance's shoulder and he jumped.

 

“Oh sorry, Lance,” Coran said. Though the smile on his face made it quite clear that he wasn't sorry. “I'm just going to pop out for a bit. I've got to sort out those parking tickets we got before their office closes down.”

 

Coran grinned and his eyes seemed to sparkle.

 

“You don't mind holding down the fort until I come back, do you?” Coran said.

 

The edges of his orange mustache were curled up into a wicked smile.

 

Lance wasn't sure if Coran had just set him up to be alone with Shiro or he was grinning because he was about to go flirt with the awkward meter maid.

 

“Okay,” Lance said.

 

Coran slapped him on the back with a bit too much enthusiasm.

 

“You're a life saver!” Coran cheered. “I'll be back in a jiffy!”

 

Lance watched Coran climb out the back of the truck. Now he was going to be alone. Alone with Shiro. This was something that had never happened before. There'd always been someone with them. Usually, they were in a large group together. Interacting with him one on one like this---it was terrifying.

 

Lance was nervous to look back out the window. He leaned over the edge and saw that Shiro was tantalizingly close. It was always so hard to focus when he was near. All Lance could think about was how the muscles of Shiro's neck might look while he was on top of him. Or how his stubble would feel brushing against his chin. Would Shiro's kiss taste like the sea? And would he roll his hips into Lance's like the waves coming to shore? He felt even more flustered now.

 

He tried to focus on Shiro's eyes as he walked up to the truck and that didn't help much either. The Christmas lights seemed to make them twinkle. He looked like an angelic figure that had crept out of the sea and cast a spell on his heart.

 

“Hey, Shiro,” Lance stammered. “Will it be the usual?”

 

"You know me so well," Shiro chuckled. "The same old thing every day. I'm boring."

 

He wasn't boring though. Lance thought it was adorable that he always ordered the same thing. Lance didn't even bother to scribble down his order onto the notepad.

 

“Give me a bit,” Lance said. “Coran just ran out so I'm alone.”

 

“Alone?” Shiro said.

 

Lance might be delusional but it looked like the surfer was panicked. He tried to mask his shift in demeanor with an awkward giggle.

 

“Where'd he run off to?” Shiro pried.

 

“He went to go sweet talk his way out of our parking violations,” Lance said.

 

This was so awkward. Lance could feel Shiro staring at his backside as he started setting out the ingredients. If he focused on putting together the tacos he'd be fine. He could get through this. Lance tossed a handful of shrimp into the pan. They started to sizzle in the oil and the scent of the spices tickled his nose.

 

“So uh---” Shiro began. “What's uh----what's your plans for later tonight?”

 

Lance stiffened. He gripped onto the handle of the pan to try and keep himself grounded. Shiro was rarely this awkward. He was usually so charming and words came to him so easily. Maybe he was just making polite conversation but that wasn't the sort of question someone asked during polite conversation.

 

“Um---” Lance squeaked.

 

Oh man, he was blowing it. This probably wasn't what he thought it was. It couldn't be. There was no way big, sexy, surfer Shiro was into Lance the Latino twink.

 

“Nothing,” Lance stammered.

 

He flipped the shrimp over in the pan. They were crisping up, looking plump and juicy. They were almost ready.

 

“Maybe---uh---” Shiro said.

 

He cleared his throat.

 

“Maybe you should come down to the pier with me,” Shiro blurted out. “They're having a Christmas festival and it would be nice to go---I mean just like you and me and not Coran---or if you wanna bring Coran because you'd be more comfortable--- but I want to spend time with---”

 

Shiro's cheeks were tinted with red as Lance clumsily put together his tacos. Shiro was asking him out. He wasn't delusional. Shiro was asking him out and he was tense. Shiro was nervous to ask _him_ out? Lance set the tacos in the flimsy cardboard tray and held them out to Shiro. The surfer was anxiously chewing on his lips as he slowly reached for them.

 

"I've always wanted to share hot chocolate and ride the Ferris wheel," Lance said.

 

He was so uneasy he was certain he would implode.

 

“It'd be cool to do that with you.”

 

Shiro's face lit up like a Christmas tree. He grinned from ear to ear.

 

“Great!” Shiro chimed. “I'm sorry I get so worked up over this stuff. I'm such a dork.”

 

_An incredibly hot dork._

 

Lance felt a bit more at ease now. The world hadn't come to an end. He hadn't spontaneously combusted. It had just been an awkward unexpected beginning to something he'd been longing for. It was nice. It made him feel warm on the inside. A warmth that was radiating from his core down to the very tips of his toes. Lance glanced at the mistletoe that Coran had hung up and grinned. His knees were quaking from the rush of adrenaline.

 

He leaned out the window and held out the tacos to Shiro. He planted a quick kiss on Shiro's forehead and giggled. It was the first kiss of many more to come that night.

 


End file.
